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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lean — thin
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. march — music
  9. band — a music group
  10. bound — certain
  11. cue — a hint
  12. band — a ring
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bound — obliged
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. lean — to bend
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bound — tied together
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. cue — a signal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com